


Persona 4 Platinum

by Crowllink



Series: Persona 4 Platinum [1]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Eventual Relationships, F/M, long fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 17:32:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11833611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowllink/pseuds/Crowllink
Summary: Working at Inaba's news station wasn't that bad until bodies were found. Your first mistake was befriending Mayumi Yamano, the second one was probably slacking off with a lousy detective.-----As the story progresses, tags will be added and possibly a change in rating.*** WARNING: THERE WILL BE PERSONA 4 SPOILERS REGARDING THE CULPRIT. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THE ENDGAME SPOILED!!! ***





	Persona 4 Platinum

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Atroposisms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atroposisms/gifts), [Drowned_Ophelia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drowned_Ophelia/gifts).



> Thanks to my Adachi loving friends for cheering me on to start this piece. Even bigger thanks to them for editing.

**4/08 - Friday**

The sun set long ago while you waited for the train to finally arrive. The dimly lit station was quiet, not unusual for this time of night. You were waiting for an old colleague, Mayumi Yamano. She ran into a bit of trouble with an affair coming public. Yamano thought escaping to the countryside would help, and trusted you to keep it a secret. You owed her, she got you the job at the TV station in Inaba. Besides, you didn’t have any other plans for the evening.

“Yasoinaba. Yasoinaba.”

You lifted your head as the automated voice echoed in the empty lot. Wind blasted through your hair as the train ground to a halt. The doors squeaked open and an elegant woman with two small suitcases stepped out onto the platform. Her smile glowed in the soft light as she made her way towards you.

“You’re lucky I tend to stay up late, Mayumi,” you said as you scratched the back of your neck. “I gotta be up early tomorrow too.”

“You might want to change that habit sooner than later,” Yamano chuckled at you. “Thank you for this.”

“The city must’ve really worn you out, at least it’s quiet out here.” You snatched at one of the suitcases and rolled it along. “I’ve got an Amagi Inn room booked. The owner knows it’s for you, so no one else should find out.”

You led Yamano out to the parking lot, she gave you a confused expression.

“We’re not walking there, right?”

“Oh, yes we are,” you teased. “No, someone from the inn should be here soon. I think it’s the manager showing up.”

The both of you briefly fell quiet. You were eager to hear about the affair, but it was obvious that she wanted to avoid the subject. It wasn’t something that could easily be asked.

“It’s been awhile, how’s the station?” Yamano broke the silence. “Did you get a promotion yet?”

“Yeah, I’m finally an audio assistant,” you sighed, “but they still have me do some runner work. It’s pretty annoying.”

“Probably because you’re the only one that knows how to make coffee just right,” Yamano teased.

You two shared a few laughs together, reminiscing about your times together at the station. Unfortunately, the small talk didn’t sway your thoughts from the scandal. It was obvious to Yamano what was on your mind. The two of you fell quiet again.

“You’re curious about the affair, aren’t you?” Yamano stared down at the pavement. “Taro is a very sweet man…”

“But is it really worth all the trouble?” You blurted out.

“I regret nothing,” Yamano murmured. “I want to be with him once everything calms down.”

The conversation halted as a pair of headlights illuminated the area. A small car pulled up in front of you. The woman driving looked visibly tired, it must have been a long day. You helped Yamano’s luggage into the trunk.

“Call me if you need anything, alright, Mayumi?” You gave Yamano a small smile.

“Thank you, get home safe.”

* * *

 

**4/09 – Saturday**

“Really? People already found out?”

Yamano called you over to vent her frustrations. Rumors already spread around town, and the media was trying to invade the inn. She hadn’t been in town for a complete day. It didn’t come as too much of a surprise; there were some thirsty reporters in town.

The room she got was nice compared to the other ones you had glanced into while getting here. It was spacious and even had a flat screen TV on one side of the room. A small table was placed in the center of the room. You and Yamano relaxed there while talking over a cup of tea.

“I didn’t hear any gossip this morning.” You didn’t want to admit you were mentally checked out while at work earlier. “Working with the station is usually enjoyable, but I hate when they pull stunts like this. People need to back off.”

“I’m not sure what to do,” Yamano sighed.

“Maybe try calling the police?” you suggested. “Nothing ever happens here, so they should have at least one guy available.”

“You don’t think that’d be bothersome?”

“Eh, they need something to do.” You shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt to give it a try.”

You glanced down at your watch. If you left immediately, you’d have just enough time to eat at Aiya before getting back to work. Yeah, you knew it’d be an asshole move to leave Yamano while she was stressed, but you wouldn’t survive starving yourself till midnight.

“Ah crap, I need to head back to the station. They want me to work tonight as well. They can’t just give me a break.” It wasn’t a lie, just an extra reason to leave sooner. You already deal with people at work, it was exhausting. You needed your alone time.

Yamano walked you to the door of her room. She couldn’t walk you out to the lobby with people trying to hunt her down.

“Do you have tomorrow off at least?” She asked.

“Eugh, no.” You pursed your lips, you knew you only worked in the evening. “They’re probably trying to get more attention from your situation.”

“Then call me when you have some time, please?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” You waved.

After the door slid closed behind you, you jolted into a brisk walk, hoping no one caught you with Yamano. If anyone from the station knew you were helping her out, they’d probably shove you in front of the camera. Fuck that, there were reasons why you were better off backstage. The last thing you wanted right now was unwarranted attention.  

* * *

 

**4/10 – Sunday**

It was nearing midnight and you were finally let out of work. With all this Yamano talk, you were forced to help for longer hours. You were stuck on your feet all day, spending most of it rushing around and untangling wires. Hopefully you’d get a nice paycheck for all the overtime.

The moment you stepped into the lobby, you were greeted with the sound of pounding rain. Great. This should teach you not to doze off during the weather segment. You left your umbrella at home and it didn’t look like it was going to clear up for some time. You couldn’t stick around as well or else you’d get dragged into more work. What a damn hassle.

You plucked your phone out of your bag and turned it on. If you looked busy, perhaps no one would bother you. Your phone buzzed immediately after starting up. There were a couple texts from Yamano, all of them being updates from her end. Turns out she did call the police and she got herself some bodyguards.

 _It’s a bit too late to call her, hm?_ You stared down at Yamano’s messages. _I guess at worst I’d wake her up. Let’s see how this goes._

You walked off to a secluded corner and hit the dial button.

_Ringing... Ringing… And voicemail. What a surprise._

Snapping your phone shut, you groaned. You couldn’t avoid the rain anymore, it was time to endure it.

* * *

 

**4/11 – Monday**

It was nearing the evening report. The anchors needed microphones and it was your task to pin them on their shirts. This should’ve been a quick job, but the sleep deprivation had you shaky all day. You fumbled while working the mic onto the male anchor’s blazer.

“Having trouble there?” He teased.

“Hm? No, the clip is just being wonky,” you muttered and faked a smile instead of calling him an ass. “There, good luck.”

He let out a ‘hmpf’ and adjusted his mic before walking off. For someone who claimed to be charming, he was quite the dick. Every time he treated you like trash, you had to keep your mouth shut. He’d easily get you fired. Some people could be so goddamn shitty.

You made sure no one was looking when you peeked down at your phone. Yamano never called back. She was a punctual woman, this wasn’t like her.

_Something isn’t right…_

With setup complete, you had more time to think.

_Maybe she’s too overwhelmed with the media harassing her. Yeah, isolation might be the only thing keeping her sane at this point… But she wanted me to call her…_

“… City council secretary, Taro Namatame, is under fire for an alleged relationship with a female reporter. His wife, enka ballad sensation, Misuzu Hiiragi, revealed to this station that she will likely pursue damages.”

 _Shit, I hope she isn’t watching this._ You glanced up and watched as the broadcast continued.

“In response, Eye Television has decided to cancel all of announcer Mayumi Yamano’s televised appearances. Until allegations of an affair with Mr. Namatame are resolved, she’ll remain off the air and out of the public eye…”

_Hah, what a joke. Everyone knows she’s squatting out here. All they want is to know more about this crap._

They didn’t ramble on much after that and switched to other topics, along with playing the well-overused Junes commercial. You turned off your phone and pocketed it; you didn’t want to get scolded.

* * *

 

**4/12 – Tuesday**

You silently lounged on your bed, sipping green tea while watching the rain and light fog through your window. It was a perfect day to be off work. Your studio apartment might have been small, but it was cozy. It wasn’t so bad seeing as you only needed to take a couple steps to get to the fridge... but it did come at the cost of not having enough room for a sofa. Because it was easily cramped, you never invited people over - it was slightly embarrassing that this was the best you could afford. The two other doors led to the bathroom and a decent closet. Your nicer clothes and dirty laundry stayed hidden in there while the rest were in a dresser that also supported as a stand for your TV. You set your cup of tea on the tiny window ledge and fell back into some pillows.

_I should try calling Mayumi again._

As if fate had other plans for you, your cell phone rang. It was rare for your family to call in and ask for updates; often it’d be work - neither of which you particularly enjoyed. The caller ID showed that it was, in fact, one of the higher ups from work.

“Hello?” You tried not to sound agitated.

“We need you out at the station immediately. A van is being packed, and we will need you for setup.”

The voice on the other end hung up before you got the chance to speak, leaving you no choice but to give up your day off. You dragged yourself out of bed and made the decision to check the weather. The rain was going to stop soon, but the fog would last all day.

You made sure to grab the umbrella before leaving.

 _There better be a damn good reason why they’d ruin my day_ , you thought as you rushed to the station. _Mayumi better have not gotten herself caught outside._

“Thank god you’re here,” one of your co-workers greeted you at the van. “Get in, we’ll tell you what we know.”

Your small team was cramped up in the back of the van; some looked excited, others stressed.

“So, what happened?” You were the only one out of the loop.

“Police found a dead body strung up on an antenna,” the reporter responded. “If we get there fast enough, we’ll see who it is!”

Your eyes widened.

_Oh no no no, hell no._

You desperately tried to avoid it, but your thoughts still returned to Yamano.

_There’s no way she’d do that herself, it’s impossible, but then that’d mean…_

The van slammed to a sudden stop.

“Quick, quick, quick!” The driver demanded. “They’re taking the body down now!”

Everyone scrambled out of the van, grabbing bits of equipment with them. You stumbled out of the vehicle, arms full of cords. You gazed up at a roof with an antenna and froze as you spotted the corpse.

Mayumi Yamano.

Your knees gave way and you dropped down onto the wet pavement. You could have said something to the police the moment Yamano went silent. You should have gone to check the inn yourself after work…

“Get a hold of yourself.” A co-worker grasped your arm and hoisted you up. “We might get a bonus for catching this moment! Think of the ratings!”

Your mind went blank, it was the only thing that kept you going for a little bit longer. Once the cameraman and reporter turned live, you retreated to lean against the van.

_It was supposed to be safe here. It’s my fault, she should have stayed with me. No one could have gotten her._

“… The police and fire department took it down just a moment ago.”

“Well, I think it’s terrifying. I can’t believe a dead body showed up around here…”

People began to swarm around the area, and you felt intense claustrophobia from the suddenly cramped area. The loud chattering only made your head sting. You darted off away from everyone, rushing past a couple of teens that blocked your way to freedom, hoping to finally breathe.

“Ngh… Uuuurrghhh…”

You weren’t the only one that tried to escape. Someone bolted passed you and dropped on his knees… and began vomiting on the grass.

“Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to the central office!?” A hardboiled man chastised.

The man slowly got to his feet and shamefully kept his head down.

“I-I’m sorry… Nngh…” He gagged.

“Go wash your face. We’re gonna go around and gather information!”

The pale man defeatedly started making his way back towards the crime scene. Caught in a moment of empathy, you decided to help the poor guy. He was in far worse shape than you. There was a slight feeling of pride in the fact that you could hold down your breakfast despite everything.

“Hey,” you called out for his attention.

“Huh?” He turned towards you.

“Here, take this.” You shuffled around in your bag for a water bottle. “Seems like you need it more than I do.”

“Oh, um, thanks.” He gave an embarrassed smile. “Kinda wish no one saw that…”

“I probably would’ve done the same if I saw the body for another second,” you weakly smiled back. “Are you a detective?”

The man pulled out a badge from his jacket.

“I am, Detective Tohru Adachi with the Inaba Police Department. I’ve been assigned to this case with my boss.” He stated confidently, then gazed down at your muddy pants. “You don’t look so great yourself.”

You tensed up and tried to conceal your stained knees with your bag.

“I… I had to get on the ground to set up some equipment, okay?” You stammered out the lie. “I’m with the news crew here!”

“Don’t worry too much.” The detective softly chuckled at how flustered you were. “It’ll dry out eventually.”

“I guess it’s better than smelling like puke,” you shot back at him.

Adachi ducked down his head in embarrassment as you snickered. You rummaged around in your bag again, this time pulling out a tin of mints.

“Okay, maybe that was a little harsh,” you admitted. “Take a couple, you really need it.”

“Oh, how you wound me.” Adachi held one hand to his heart while the other reached for some mints.

“Adachi!” The distracted detective flinched at the shout. “What the hell are you doing?”

“S-sorry, sir!” Adachi stiffened, he glanced back at you as he rushed off. “You’re a real lifesaver, you know.”

You stood still as Adachi rushed off. Somehow that guy managed to ease your pain, which shouldn’t have been an easy task for someone who emptied out their stomach. Maybe it was his oddly charming comical demeanor that lifted you up. If he wasn’t an officer, you’d be less concerned. Should someone with a weak stomach really be trusted with something so serious? The Inaba police force must be low staffed if this guy was trusted with the job…

You took in a deep breath before shuffling back to your crew. The crowd seemed to have calmed down, and the police were ushering bystanders to leave. You kept your eyes off the scene and put all your attention towards managing the equipment.

* * *

 

**4/13 – Wednesday**

“It’s a good thing you’re never on camera,” the reporter teased you while you adjusted his mic. “You’re too on edge.”

“Gee, I’m sorry that I’m a human being who’s affected by a murder.” You couldn’t help but to sass back. “And now we’re staking out to harass some high schooler? This is getting pretty low.”

“Everyone wants to hear more about the murder, so you’ve got to suck it up.” He shrugged. “We got to go to the money.”

You let out a low groan as the reporter and cameraman chased down a young girl. It was always with money this, money that; these guys were pretty damn inhuman. You snapped back to attention and followed suit, making sure no wires were getting tangled.

“Hey! Excuse me! Miss!”

“Huh?” The girl froze.

“What went through your mind when you saw it? Could you tell she was dead? Did you see her face?”

“U-umm…” She hesitated.

“Don’t you think it’s scary that someone was killed on a foggy day?”

The girl was taken aback by the comment. You couldn’t blame her, she was being straight up being harassed. If you dared to stop it, you’d be caught on camera as well as fired.

“Huh…? She was killed?”

“Oh, err… So, did you see anyone suspicious around here?”

“No, not really…” She took a couple steps back from the reporter.

“We heard that you found it when you left school early,” the reporter pressed. “Did you have some personal business to take care of?”

“Huh? That’s none of your business!” The girl defended herself.

“Getting defensive? So, it was personal business?”

The girl shoved the microphone away from her and ran off. The reporter turned back towards the camera.

“It seems that’s all we could get out of the witness, ladies and gentlemen!”

The cameraman shut off the recording and lowered the camera.

“Don’t you think you were a bit too pushy?” The cameraman frowned.

The reporter shrugged.

“We’re not going to get anything if we don’t press for the latest scoops.”

“Like I said earlier,” you butted in, “you were harassing her. At least show some respect.”

“Excuse me? _You_ should show some respect to your elders,” the reporter barked. “I’ve been in the business far longer than you have. I suggest you shut your mouth before I decide to disclose your poor behavior to our bosses.”

You and your big mouth were going to get seriously reprimanded when you get back to the station.

* * *

 

**4/15 – Friday**

“God damn…”

You stared up at the horrific scene. The high schooler your co-worker interviewed the other day was tangled in a mess of wires on a telephone pole. The previous day drained you too much from having another intense reaction, and it helped that you didn’t personally know her.

Luckily, the police arrived on scene before any people could gather around. You noticed the detective from the other day standing off to the side, holding a cup of coffee. Maybe he’d be able to lift your spirits a second time.

“Hey.” You approached him. “You’re Adachi, right?”

He glanced up at you and gave a tired smile.

“Yeah, and you’re with the news?” Adachi yawned. “The town is really running us dry. Man, I need a day to sleep in.”

“Tell me about it.” The yawn turned out to be contagious.

You noted his disconnected attitude. Maybe it was easy for the police to numb out to these situations... then again, you were doing the same exact thing. The both of you were slacking off while on the clock as well.

“You’re sure you’ll find the guy doing this?” You questioned him doubtfully.

“At least try to have _some_ confidence in me,” Adachi said as he hung his head. “Besides, Dojima-san’s the best of the best. That killer won’t be on the loose for much longer.”

You shivered at the thought of a murderer freely running around Inaba. Heavy fog had been looming over the town lately, which probably made it easier for the killer to snatch up whoever and get away. The freak had targeted only women so far. Not only that, but you had ties to both victims and you often walk home late from work.

What if you became the next target?

“I hope so.” You stared at the ground and opened up to Adachi. “I get out of work late and it’s unsettling to walk home in that fog now.”

You bit your lip, not wanting to admit how terrified you were. From a quick glance, it was easy to tell that Adachi caught on to your implication.

“H-hey now.” Adachi straightened up from his slouch. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine! You’re not in hiding nor were you a witness, so I can’t see why you’d be targeted. And if you feel unsafe, you can always call on us.” He gave you a warm grin. “You don’t seem like someone who’d get themselves in trouble.”

“I know my co-worker over there would tell you otherwise,” you scoffed at his comment and gestured to the reporter. “And I’m pretty sure the police wouldn’t appreciate being my personal taxi service.”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Adachi leaned in to whisper, “It’d get me out of the office and hopefully it’d be my last task of the night.”

You quickly glanced away, feeling an oncoming blush. God, it almost sounded suggestive. It didn’t help how you had a little thing for men with disheveled looks. His voice made it worse; it was a bizarre mix of nasally and sultry.

“Maybe I’ll consider it,” you awkwardly stammered out. “Ah, I should be getting back to work. I’d never hear the end of it if there were technical mistakes! I’ll see you around or something…”

_How fucking smooth._

You rushed off before Adachi could respond, not daring to glance back at the detective. How the hell did that guy manage to get you into a moment of weakness? He puked right in front of you yesterday! You combed a hand through your hair and sighed. The short broadcast was already over, and the reporter gave you an irritated look.

“You do realize you’re getting paid to work for us, not flirting with that guy over there, right?” he scolded.

“I wasn’t!” You tried to defend yourself. “He’s a detective, I wanted to know what they know.”

“Then maybe you should’ve brought him here for an interview.” The reporter plucked off his mic and dropped it in your hand. “Go clean up, we want to get back to the station in ten.”


End file.
